Compression and drum machines

I have to do a session where I have to record a sequenced song from a groovebox into Pro Tools. The whole song is on the Roland groovebox so it's a matter of sync and recording into PT but I'm undecided on whether I should use a compressor on the drum parts or not. What is the general rules of thumb on this? Do I use it on the cymbals too.......do I use one at all? I know it would be used for live drums but what about drum machines? If I should use one, can anyone give me advice on settings for the compressor? Any help I would be great!

the rule is, if it needs it AFTER you listen to it, then use it. If not, don't. From experience, don't get into the idea that certain instruments need compression when they're recorded. Just because its a drum, it doesn't automatically have to have a compressor on it. I've fallen into this idea. Just get on auto-pilot and use the same things on the same instruments every time whether they needed it or not. Thats a bad habit that is hard to break.

Send your original tracks out an aux send to a stereo aux track and compress that(use BF76 as it seems to have no latency) and mix it behind the original. This was you can gain some of the punch without killing the dynamics of the uncompressed tracks.